Councilman Randal Valenciano formally announced Tuesday that he plans to run for mayor in this year’s election. Valenciano has forged a reputation as an independent and balanced lawmaker on the Kaua’i County Council for the past 12 years, Earlier this
Councilman Randal Valenciano formally announced Tuesday that he plans to run for mayor in this year’s election.
Valenciano has forged a reputation as an independent and balanced lawmaker on the Kaua’i County Council for the past 12 years,
Earlier this year, Valenciano, a Democrat, took out papers for mayor and a Kaua’i County Council seat.
When he files, Valenciano will become the third sitting councilmember to enter the mayoral race.
Council Chair Ron Kouchi, a Democrat, and Councilman Bryan Baptiste, a Republican, also announced plans to run for mayor, but neither has yet filed nomination papers.
Councilman Gary Hooser has also said he will be leaving the Council, and has pulled papers for the state senate, District 7 race.
Senate District 7 is now Kaua’i’s sole state senate district following the elimination of “canoe” districts that split Legislative districts between islands. This was done through the redrawing of district election boundaries statewide last year.
Dennis Nimkie of Lihu’e, a recognized community leader who has helped put together the yearly Thanksgiving dinner for the island’s poor, also has taken out papers to run for mayor, but has not filed.
Valenciano said he will file papers for the mayoral race when he has met election requirements, including getting 15 signatures of qualified and registered Kaua’i voters.
“I appreciate the constant and positive encouragement from community members to enter the election to seek the office of mayor,” Valenciano said.
The deadline for filing nomination papers for this year’s election is July 23. The primary election is scheduled for Sept. 21 and the general election is set for Nov. 5.
Should he be elected mayor, Valenciano said he will be just as independent and balanced in his thinking as he has been as a councilmember.
“I recognize that many of the decisions we need to make involve weighing and considering different options and different viewpoints,” he said. “By being a balanced decision maker, I will welcome input, seek to understand various points of view and work toward solutions or options that will best serve our community.”
A strong Kaua’i economy is a must in the aftermath of the closure of sugar plantations on Kaua’i and the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks, which severely hit Hawai’i’s economy before rebounding, Valenciano said.
“I recognize the visitor industry is now, and will continue to be, a major component of our local economy,” Valenciano said.
At the same time, diversification of the economy must continue so “that we are not overly dependent on our visitor industry,” he said.
As the owner of a business, (he runs a law practice in Lihu’e), Valenciano said he lives and experiences “many of the concerns and issues raised by our business community.”
Because small businesses have been and will continue to be the backbone of the economy, “we should continue to assist small businesses to assure that they can thrive and succeed here on our island,” Valenciano said.
While he advocates support for business, Valenciano also wants to protect Kaua’i’s “unmatched natural beauty.”
“It is important that we seek to preserve our island’s special places and our island’s natural beauty for our enjoyment and for the enjoyment of generations to come,” Valenciano said.
Valenciano also said that when he launches his election campaign, he intends to comply with state voluntary campaign spending limits. All candidates should do the same, he said.
By complying with them, “I hope to prove to you that I will be able to be fiscally and financially responsible in the implementation and management of our county’s budget,” Valenciano said.
As mayor, Valenciano, who is married to Debbie (formerly Ihara) and has three children, also said he would support and implement programs that “respond to the needs of our children, the working adults and the elderly.”
Valenciano has been an attorney for nearly 20 years.
After earning a bachelor of science degree from the University of Oregon in 1980, majoring in political science, Valenciano earned a law degree from the University of Washington School of Law in June 1983.
He worked as state Public Defender in Honolulu from September 1983 to March 1984 and deputy prosecuting attorney for Kaua’i County from March 1984 to October 1987.
He was a general partner in the law firm of Valenciano and Zenger from October 1987 to December 1995 and became owner of his own law firm in January 1996.
Valenciano has been an arbitrator for the 5th Circuit Court of Hawai’i.
Valenciano has won community and national awards, including a listing in Who’s Who in American Law, Outstanding Young Men of America, Who’s Who of the Emerging Leaders in America, Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who Among Rising Young Americans and 2000 Notable American Men.
Valenciano was senior class president, a scholar and co-captain of a championship varsity Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation football team at Waimea High School, graduating in June 1976.
